The Wolf, The Deatheaters, and The Jokes
by Ogreatrandom
Summary: Three of our favorite characters find themselves the prisoners of some of the Death Eaters who survived the last battle. Unfortunately no one is looking for them, since everyone thinks that they’re dead. Spoilers/AU Please review! Now complete!
1. Seen and Unforeseen

_**Author's Note:**_

_Just a warning, this story has big Deathly Hallows spoilers. I suppose you would also call it AU. But I really wanted to write this story, if only for my own peace of mind. This first chapter is a little odd but bear with me please. Hope you enjoy it! Feel free to maybe leave a review…_

_Many thanks to my good friend Girl Scout for looking over this for me, (not to mention the help she has been dealing with the grief that several deaths in the seventh book left me with). Girl Scout, you are a much better friend then I deserve._

_**Seen And Unforeseen**_

**Prologue- Seen And Unforeseen:**

Tombstones littered the green field, some tall and some short but all the same depressing grey color. The sky above, continuing with the color scheme, was also grey. It wasn't raining, however, it looked as though it might start to at any second.

Two figures remained standing over a spot where two freshly dug graves indicated a double burial had just taken place. Not even the many flowers and tokens left by the people who had attended the burial could do anything to make the scene appear cheerful, or anything close to it.

"I just can't believe that she's… that they're…" Ginny Weasley found herself unable to say the word 'dead' or even 'gone'. And still as she knelt by the side-by-side headstones Ginny still didn't want to believe that Nymphadora Tonks and Remus Lupin had died. Her companion knew all too clearly what she was thinking.

"It's not fair," Harry Potter said in a tight voice. He was not looking at the graves, rather he was peering off in the distance. Following his gaze, Ginny saw Tonks' mother who was holding a small chubby baby in her arms. It was Tonks and Remus' infant son, Teddy.

The baby's hair was a mousy brown, silently reminding both of them of the shade that Tonks' hair had turned when she had been at her most miserable. Ginny felt fresh tears at the sight, but she fought them back.

"They're waiting for us," she managed to say looking back sadly at the crowd of mourners. There had been many funerals this week, but the sight of everyone in their mourning clothes was still a painful reminder of the many losses that they had sustained in the fight against Voldemort.

"Yeah," Harry agreed reluctantly.

He knelt down, whispering something that Ginny couldn't make out to his father's friend. Copying Harry she knelt down next to him, touching the marker for Tonks' grave as she spoke.

"I miss you Tonks," she breathed.

Harry and Ginny stood up slowly, walking hand in hand now. They didn't speak, both still thinking of the couple, and the pain that death left behind.

At that moment in a rather unremarkable house not too far away from where the graves and the mourners were gathered Nymphadora Tonks opened her eyes.


	2. The Letters From No One

_**Disclaimer:**_

_I don't own Harry Potter and I'm not making money off this, (in case that was unclear in any way)._

**Chapter #1- The Letters From No One:**

Tonks felt herself return to consciousness and breathed in deep, sitting up straight. The last thing she could remember was being at Hogwarts, seeing Lupin's dead body, and fighting the Death Eaters. Then there had been a stinging and all had gone dark.

The first thing that she saw was a masked Death Eater watching her through the eye slits in their mask.

"Finally awake I see," the Death Eater cackled. He probably had more to say, but he did not get a chance. In her overwhelming fury, (and also in her fright), Tonks threw herself at the Death Eater, tackling him to the ground. The mask slid off and she saw Yaxley.

Without pausing Tonks grabbed for Yaxley's wand. He tried to hold on to it as she clawed at his hand, but it slipped. A second later there was a flash of red light and Yaxley was laying stunned on the ground.

Tonks pushed herself up and ran. Shouts and a curse or two followed her. Tonks, using the wand she had stolen, shot a few curses back at her pursuers. She turned a corner and found the way blocked by two Death Eaters. Looking back she saw the three that had been chasing her closing in.

"Give up," one of them hissed at her.

"No," Tonks said in a threatening voice, "get out of my way."

"Leaving so soon?" A new Death Eater had joined the scene. But this Death Eater was not even wearing her mask. Tonks did not recognize her. The woman seemed familiar, though Tonks didn't spare the thought to try to place her.

But she recognized the person standing next to the Death Eater. It was Remus Lupin, her husband, and he was alive. The Death Eater, who appeared to be the leader, was holding her wand threateningly at Lupin. She was so short that she had to reach up to point at his throat.

"By all means continue trying to escape," the leader of the Death Eaters spoke to Tonks in an almost unnaturally pleasant voice, "but if you do know that I won't hesitate to slit this animal's throat."

"Run!" Lupin ordered in a hoarse voice. "Run Dora!"

"Don't you dare touch him," Tonks snarled ignoring Lupin, all thoughts of running gone at once. She had thought she had seen Lupin dead at Hogwarts, and yet all the same…

"Hand over the wand," the Death Eater ordered. After only a second, Tonks threw the wand to the ground. The leader turned to another one of the Death Eaters. "Put these two in the cell with the other prisoner," she commanded.

"At once," the Death Eater answered, and Tonks recognized the voice of Dolohov. The rage in Tonks increased, remembering that Aberforth had told her that the last time he had seen Remus he had been fighting Dolohov. Dolohov grabbed Lupin while another Death Eater seized Tonks, dragging them to a stone dungeon.

They were thrown in, and the door shut with a clang. The room was dark, with only a very small barred window through which light could come. Tonks and Lupin faced each other, not moving.

"Is it really you?" Lupin spoke softly looking her right in the eyes, asking the same question that Tonks had been thinking. "How do I know it's not a trick?"

"I am Nymphadora Tonks Lupin," she said, "I was recruited by Kingsley and Moody to be part of the Order of the Phoenix. We first kissed after you told me not to blame myself for Sirius' death."

"And I am Remus John Lupin," he told her, "I am a werewolf and you married me despite my frequent protests and stubbornness. We have a son, named Teddy after your father."

A second later Tonks threw herself at Lupin, who embraced her tightly burying his face in her short pink hair.

"I thought," she gasped breathing heavily, "I thought you were… I saw you. You were dead. I couldn't think- I didn't want to-" Tonks began to cry as she clutched Lupin tightly, as if any second he might disappear.

"Don't worry Dora," he said soothingly as he rubbed her back comfortingly, "I'm okay. We're okay." This was such a lie that Tonks couldn't stop a soft chuckle from escaping her lips. "You know what I mean," he said with a soft smile, "we're going to be okay."

"But Remus I saw you dead," Tonks whispered.

"The last thing that I remember," Lupin said thoughtfully, "was being surrounded by Death Eaters. Then there was a flash of pain and everything went fuzzy. The next thing I knew I was being woken up by a Death Eater."

"The same happened to me," Tonks told him.

"And to me," a voice said from a dark corner. Lupin and Tonks looked over, startled as they had not realized there was someone else there. The figure moved into the light. "I didn't want to interrupt your reunion," the person explained.

It was a face that Lupin and Tonks were very familiar with.

-- 

Hundreds of miles away George Weasley was laying in the grass, looking at the clouds without really seeing them. He felt as if the dead face of his twin brother was constantly there, keeping him from seeing the world around him

"George," the hesitant voice of his younger brother Ron interrupted the silence, "we're all going to Bill and Fleur's. Andromeda is bringing Teddy. Would you like to come?"

"No," George answered dully. Why wouldn't his family learn to just leave him alone? Why wouldn't anyone just stop and realize that they knew nothing of what he was going through?

"All right then," Ron said breaking into George's bitter thoughts once again, "we won't be long and if you need us…" he trailed off unsure what to say. After a minute George heard Ron begin to walk away. But a second later he was speaking again. "I almost forgot," walking over and bending down Ron handed George a sealed letter, "this came for you."

"Thanks," George said without emotion. Ron left quickly, and George looked at the envelope. It had his name printed on the front, but he didn't recognize the simple block handwriting.

More just for the sake of doing something then out of actual curiosity he opened the envelope and pulled out the folded letter.

George unfolded the letter with disinterest. He was sure that it would be another letter of condolence from someone who had not attended the funeral. George wished that they would stop sending them, every one he received was just another reminder of what he had lost.

But as he read the letter George felt a swoop of disbelief and shock. Then he felt rage coursing through his veins.

"_Your brother's alive_," the message read, "_but if you don't do what we say we'll kill him for real. You have one day to tell us whether you are willing to help us or not. Send your reply addressed to your brother, and we'll get it. Tell anyone and we'll kill him. Doubt us at your own, (and your brother's), risk_."

The note was written in simple block handwriting and there was no signature. It would be impossible to find out who had written it. A picture had also been in the envelope and he took it out slowly.

George looked down at the picture, barely breathing, feeling as if someone had whacked him in the head with a very heavy object. He felt a pounding in his head and a ringing in his ear.

There, in the picture, was Fred. And he was very much alive. His twin's normal cheery smile had been replaced by a scowl of anger. But the initial feeling of joy that George had felt was quickly swallowed up by fear as he saw that Fred was being held by two masked Death Eaters.

"Fred," George whispered helplessly, "no…"


	3. The Servant Of Lord Voldemort

**Chapter #2- The Servant Of Lord Voldemort:**

"Fred," Tonks gasped looking at the person before them, "is it you?" He certainly looked like Fred, though he had a spectacular black eye blossoming. The fact that he had both of his ears told them that he was not George.

"Of course it's me," he answered.

"Just because you _say_ you are," Lupin said sternly in a tone that suggested that he had made this speech many times before, "doesn't mean that you couldn't be a Death Eater disguised as Fred Weasley. You need to verify that you are really you." The redhead rolled his eyes.

"You know that George and I think that this is pointless right?"

"Just do it," Lupin said through gritted teeth.

"I am Fred Weasley," the boy answered with a sigh, "I formed Weasley's Wizard Wheezes with my twin brother George. In our first year we stole the Marauder's Map from Filch and gave it to Harry in our fifth year. After Snape cut off George's ear my twin joked that he was holey. Is that enough information or would you like me to keep going?"

"It's him," Lupin nodded with a smile.

"Any idea where we are?" Tonks asked.

"We're in a muggle neighborhood," Fred told them softly, "I got a glimpse out of a window."

"I'm going to guess that they conjured this dungeon," Lupin commented, "since I don't think it's something normally found in Muggle homes." They looked around at the drab dungeon.

"It's pretty ingenious," Fred admitted grudgingly, "none of the Order will think to find them anywhere near Muggles." Lupin and Tonks didn't say anything to this, it was far too depressing.

Lupin, Tonks, and Fred didn't sleep much that night. They heard people outside of the cell, obviously guards. When they spoke they whispered.

"But if Voldemort has killed Har…" Lupin swallowed a lump of pain before continuing, "if Voldemort has won then why would he have any use for us? I didn't think that he wanted any prisoners."

"He wanted people to die," Tonks agreed, "he wanted to show us that fighting him was useless. He hoped to really make an example out of us to the rest of the Wizarding world."

"But if Harry beat him," Fred broke in, "then wouldn't that mean that the Death Eaters would have been defeated?"

"Maybe these are the survivors," Tonks suggested, "the ones who got away. Did either of you recognize the leader? I thought she looked familiar." Lupin's face tightened with anger, but Fred answered first, his voice filled with fury.

"Oh yeah," he spat, "it's that old toad, Umbridge who used to be so buddy buddy with Fudge."

"I thought that she wasn't a Death Eater," Tonks murmured.

"Well her views were never that far from theirs," Lupin said bitterly, "she undoubtedly wasn't the only person to join their ranks once Voldemort had taken over the Ministry." They once more fell quiet, each with their own thoughts. It was Fred who interrupted the silence.

"Do you think they have anyone else?" Fred asked. Neither Lupin or Tonks had an answer for him.

"How did you get that black eye?" Lupin asked, more to change the subject then anything. Fred brushed it gingerly wincing as he felt it.

"They asked me who I was," he explained, "obviously didn't know which twin they'd snatched. Not hard with George's little hearing problem but apparently this lot didn't know that. Not the sharpest tacks in the toolbox. I told them that I was Gred, and when they got mad I told them I was Forge."

"That was reckless," Lupin spoke in the strictest voice as he could to mask how impressed he was with the young Weasley's pluck. Tonks, however, didn't bother to try to hide her feelings.

"Good one," she said approvingly with a grin.

-- 

The next day the leader of the Death Eaters, Dolores Umbridge, visited them. Once again, she wasn't wearing the mask like the others. Umbridge was flanked by two other Death Eaters, who were masked and had their wands at the ready. They towered over her.

"I hope that you have found the accommodations satisfactory," she said giggling and looking around at the dank room. "You should know," her voice changed, so that no trace of a giggle was left, now that she was getting to her point, "that you have been kept unconscious for the better part of a week. Many things have happened in that time."

The Death Eater to Umbridge's right pulled out several pictures and threw them at Lupin, Tonks, and Fred's feet. After a beat Lupin bent down and picked them up. His face hardened as he saw the top picture.

"What is the meaning of this?" he demanded.

"It means werewolf," her voice was horribly sweet and condescending, "that as far as your friends and family know the three of you were killed at Hogwarts." Tonks took the pictures from his hands and saw a gravestone with her own name on it. The next picture was a grave for Lupin, and the last was a grave for Fred.

-- 

George checked his watch, noting that he only had a couple of hours to reply. For the thousandth time since receiving the letter with Fred's picture he nearly screamed with frustration and confusion.

Whatever these people asked him to do, he was sure that it would be no good. They were, at least from what he could see in the picture, Death Eaters. A large part of him was urging George to go straight to his parents, or another member of the Order that he trusted, and tell them exactly what was going on.

But the thought of his twin, captured and depending on him, stopped him from even attempting to talk to someone about it. If he told someone what was going on and the Death Eaters found out and did something to his brother George didn't know what he would do. He was closer to Fred then any other person in the world. He refused to abandon him.

Which of course brought him to the question of whether the picture was real or not. He knew very well that things could be manipulated or disguised to look like something else. Someone could be stringing him along. After all, he could remember what had happened to his sister Ginny when she had trusted the old diary that had turned out to be a part of Voldemort's soul.

George had discretely asked around, questioning people as to how one would authenticate a picture. He had been told of several methods, (his father had been the most helpful), which George had then used to test the picture. All of them had said the same thing; the picture was real.

It was an impossible situation, and George knew it. Either way he answered, no matter what action he choose to take there was a very real possibility that someone close to him would get hurt or even end up dead.

He needed more time, to come up with a plan of some sort. George rubbed his head, thinking hard. He needed to buy some time, without giving the Death Eaters an answer but without risking Fred. George knew he needed to be very careful as to what he said.

Striding over to his desk George swept away bags of joke supplies, order forms, and parchment covered with plans for Weasley Wizard Wheezes, finally coming up with a blank piece of parchment and a quill. He thought for another minute before nodding and writing a single sentence down.

"_I need more proof_," he wrote.

George went downstairs and attached the letter to the leg of an owl. As the Burrow had been used as headquarters for the Order of the Phoenix at one time there were now always a couple hanging around. George rolled the parchment up and wrote, "_Fred_ _Weasley_", in his loopy uneven handwriting on the front of it before sending the owl off.

"What are you doing?" Percy asked coming in.

"Business stuff," George lied gruffly and was grateful when Percy didn't press him for further details or explanation.

George watched the owl go, hoping that he had done the right thing.

-- 

Tonks handed the pictures to Fred. He looked down at the grave with his name on it. At least now he knew how the Death Eaters had figured out which twin they had. Fred noticed that amid the flowers someone had left a toilet seat at his grave. It was because of this that he knew the picture wasn't some sort of trick.

"So what do you think of the Dark Lord's last plan?" Umbridge asked them in a mocking voice. "His last bit of insurance one might say." She turned to Fred. "Your family has proven themselves to be oh so stubborn, not to mention devoted to Potter. So it occurred to the Dark Lord, wise as he was, that it would be prudent to snatch one of you should the chance present itself."

"And of everyone else in my family you choose me," Fred said in a tone of phony happiness, "I just feel so loved and honored."

"It was merely luck," Umbridge said waving Fred's comments away, "during the confusion of the explosion I used a spell that made you appear to be dead. Lucky that you Weasley's are so easy to spot. Then I simply transfigured a bit of stone into an exact replica of your body, which is what lays in that grave."

"You won't get away with this," Fred said, his voice deadly serious now. The Death Eater once again waved his words away.

"Of course we will," she sniffed airily, showing a complete lack of concern. "I admit I am glad to finally get to punish you and your beastly twin for humiliating me while I was the Headmistress," she added giggling her horrible twittering giggle again.

"And what about us?" Lupin demanded. Umbridge regarded him in the same manner you would look at a worm, not realizing that Lupin was regarding her in much the same way. "Why would Voldemort want us alive if he was so sure that he was going to kill Harry? What use would we be to him?" He had a shrewd guess, but Lupin wanted to be positive. Sure enough Umbridge confirmed his theory with her reply.

"None," she answered bluntly, "it was not the Dark Lord who wanted you two brought back alive. Someone else heard of the Dark Lord's plan, and decided to copy it for their own purposes."

"Bellatrix," Tonks gasped in understanding.

"She always did enjoy toying with her prey," Umbridge nodded with a wide grin, "and undoubtedly she had some sinister plans cooked up for you two. Even in the short time that I was a Death Eater it was clear that she was quite upset that when anyone poked fun at her family because they were related to a werewolf." Here Umbridge once again looked over in disgust at Lupin, who met her gaze calmly. "Bellatrix was always too preoccupied with having fun and proving herself. So in a sense you two are lucky that she was killed during the fight and that we are the ones holding you prisoner."

Neither Tonks or Lupin had anything to say to this, as they knew the woman had a very good point.

"So why go through the trouble of pretending that we were dead?" It was Fred who asked this question. "Why not just snatch us out of the battle?"

"The Dark Lord understood Potter," Umbridge answered in a sickeningly sweet voice, "and knew how much Potter loved his little rescue missions. Everything had to be done cunningly. He could not have Potter distracted when The Dark Lord intended to face and finish him."

"But of course he failed," Tonks grinned, "Harry's a better wizard then your master ever was, not to mention better then you could dream of being."

"You could not be more mistaken," Umbridge looked quite deranged as she practically spit in rage. Tonks looked as if she wanted to say something else but Lupin put a restraining hand on her arm, giving her a look that clearly said, "_be careful we are dealing with a lunatic_".

"Whatever you say," Tonks snorted. While this by no means satisfied Umbridge, the Death Eater woman was content to let the remark slide in favor of continuing her boasting explanation of the plan.

"And now," Umbridge concluded having regained her composure, "we will use the three of you to bring down the Wizarding world's new hero, Harry Potter. We've already sent out a letter to, shall we say persuade, George Weasley to agree to help us."

"Forget it," Fred said doggedly, "you won't get any help out of my brother."

"We will if he wants you alive," one of the other Death Eaters pointed out, "he'll agree to whatever we want unless he wants us to actually kill you." Fred forced himself to laugh, though he felt rather ill.

"I think you'll find that my dear twin would rather have me out of the way so that he can have the business for his own," Fred lied. Lupin and Tonks went very still, schooling their faces not to reveal anything. The Death Eaters all exchanged looks, and Fred supposed that to the sort of power hungry gits that usually signed up to be Death Eaters this would be plausible.

"He's lying," a deep voice grunted. The Death Eater who had not spoken yet pulled off his mask to reveal someone Fred had no trouble recognizing. It was Goyle, looking slightly the worse for wear. "That twin and him are thick as thieves. I doubt that one can even operate without the other."

"Goyle," Fred grinned cheekily masking his surprise, "you can talk for yourself! If I hadn't heard it for myself I might not have believed it. Where's your master, Malfoy? Finally wised up and got himself out of the glorious life of Death Eaters did he? This time you should have followed him, it's the only time he's ever done anything half ways smart." Goyle's large face contorted with rage and he pulled back his wand, ready to strike.

"No," Umbridge snapped her usual overly sweet voice abandoned for the second, "we will wait to see what his twin has to say." With one last furious glare Goyle reluctantly relaxed his wand. Umbridge turned back to Tonks, Lupin, and Fred. "I will be back to see you once we hear from the other twin."


	4. Detention With Dolores

**Chapter #3- Detention With Dolores:**

After the Death Eaters left Fred, Lupin, and Tonks huddled together speaking in low voices.

"So," Tonks asked the others glancing at the door, "do you reckon they're telling the truth? Do you really think that everyone thinks we're dead?"

"I'm afraid so," Lupin nodded with a pained expression, "you yourself claim to have seen me dead before they got you."

"Bellatrix was quite determined to get me," Tonks commented trying to sound offhand, "we knew that. It looks as if, in the end, even the thought of her master winning the war wasn't enough to get her to give up on killing me." Lupin didn't answer, his jaw twitching slightly in anger even though he knew the woman who had been threatening his wife was dead.

"All I know," Fred said with determined look on his face, "is that the next time one of these Death Eaters comes though that door I'm going to jump them, grab their wand, and-"

"Get yourself killed in the process no doubt," Lupin interrupted sternly. "There are more of them, we're unarmed, and at the end of the day they don't really care whether we live or not."

"What do you want to do then?" Fred asked Lupin looking incredulous. "Just sit around here like good little prisoners and hope that they decide to give themselves up and let us go unharmed. That's a real likely scenario," he concluded sarcastically. Lupin couldn't think of anything to deny Fred's point.

"So we need a plan," Tonks said with a grin.

"Yeah," Lupin agreed with more worry and less enthusiasm then his wife, "I suppose we do."

"Excellent," Fred said cheerfully rubbing his hands together, "this should be fun." Lupin was none too pleased by the carelessness with which Fred and even Tonks were reacting, but he figured that this was better then outright panic. "We should start by thinking of the tried and true methods of escape," Fred told them both in a matter of fact tone.

"Like what?" Tonks asked raising an eyebrow.

"You could seduce a guard," he suggested.

"No!" Lupin objected fiercely.

"Fine," Fred pouted, "then **I'll** seduce a guard."

"No!" Both Lupin and Tonks responded loudly to this.

"You two are no fun," Fred informed them. "You can sit here and twiddle your thumbs hopelessly. I won't stop coming up with plans until I come up with one that works," he vowed.

Just then the door opened and Lupin, Tonks, and Fred looked over to see four of the Death Eaters opening the cell and coming in swiftly. This time Umbridge was not among them.

"I wonder what's going on," Tonks remarked lightly despite looking apprehensive. She moved ever so slightly closer to Lupin who was watching the Death Eaters intently.

"They seem to have a purpose," he observed softly.

"I'm sure whatever it is will just be loads of fun," Fred snorted sarcastically soft enough so that only Lupin and Tonks could hear him, "the laughter just never stops with this crowd." The four Death Eaters surrounded Fred. Seeing this Lupin and Tonks tensed. Fred, however, stayed eerily calm. "Hello mates," Fred addressed the Death Eaters cheerfully, "heard the joke about the leprechaun and the hag who met in a haunted house?"

One of the Death Eaters swung his wand at Fred without warning, and Fred stumbled back in pain.

"Heard that one have you?" he grunted clutching his side.

"Bastards!" Tonks growled making a move towards the Death Eater who had attacked Fred with Lupin at her side.

But before they could take more then two steps two of the other Death Eaters had swung their wands around, pointing them at Lupin and Tonks who unwillingly froze eyeing the wands.

"Back filth," one of the Death Eaters barked.

"We won't let you hurt him," Lupin said threateningly.

"You should know that we found this," the Death Eater who attacked Fred said smoothly tossing a folded picture to Lupin, "in your pocket." Lupin unfolded the picture and felt cold fury and fear engulf him. It was the picture of Teddy he had been carrying with him at the Battle of Hogwarts. "It's a cute kid," the Death Eater said grinning at Tonks and Lupin.

"Cowards," Tonks hissed at the Death Eaters with rage in her eyes, "you stay away from him."

"Don't you dare touch him," Lupin snarled in a deadly voice.

"As long as you two don't cause any trouble there's no reason for us to go anywhere near him. However if you do decide to cause trouble…" he let the threat hang unsaid ominously.

Tonks and Lupin glared, but could do nothing but watch helplessly as the Death Eaters dragged Fred out of the cell and out of their sight.

Fred was taken into a small dark room and forced into a chair. Umbridge sat in a chair across from him. She was looking at a scrap of parchment.

With a jolt Fred recognized his twins' writing. The letter said simply, "_I need more proof_."

"Your brother," Umbridge informed Fred, "has demanded proof that you are in fact alive before he will do what we demand of him." The woman smiled at Fred, (who was suddenly reminded horribly of how she had looked when she had been about to punish a student at Hogwarts).

"So what?" Fred asked. "You want me to write a message, something that proves that the writer is in fact me? Too bad for you, I won't do it. You won't be able to use me to make George do your dirty work."

"Write a message?" Umbridge repeated her smile widening. "Oh no, I doubt that that will be necessary at all. I have something a little more… theatrical… in mind. And it's certainly more to the point then a message from you."

Fred knew from experience that if your enemy looked this happy, then whatever they had in mind was not going to be good.

-- 

"What do you think the Death Eaters are doing with Fred?" Tonks asked anxiously. Lupin didn't answer except to shrug helplessly as he looked at the ground. Tonks looked away from her husband and back to the door. "I miss Teddy," she whispered after a minute.

"Well you should have thought of that before you went running off to Hogwarts," Lupin snapped in a cold voice, still not looking up from the ground. Tonks went white, feeling as if she had been slapped. When she spoke, however, her voice remained determinedly steady.

"I didn't exactly go running into the battle on a lark," she told him shortly, "I went there to find you. For some reason, which I can't for the life of me remember at the moment, I love you, you great stubborn prat!"

"You don't understand," he argued. "When I thought I was about to die the one comforting thought I had to hold onto was that at least you were safe. That you would be there for our son, even if I wasn't."

"And what about me?" Tonks demanded. "Who would be there for me if you died? I'm not as strong as my mother, if you had died I don't know what I would have done. I couldn't bear to loose you Remus. Not when I fought so hard to get you in the first place. I couldn't…" her voice began to shake, "I just couldn't sit around at home and wait and see if you would come back… if you would survive -" But Tonks was really crying now and could not get another word out.

"Dora," Lupin breathed moving to her side in an instant, "I'm sorry Dora. I should never have said all that to you. I'm just mad at myself for bringing the picture of Teddy with me and," he hesitated unwillingly, "I'm scared for him."

"I am too," Tonks said softly. They sat together silent for a minute before she spoke again. "You can't blame yourself Remus. It's not as if you could have known that they were planning on faking your death and then holding you prisoner."

"I suppose you're right," he conceded with a smile before becoming serious once again. "Please forgive me Dora, I was just terrified of what the Death Eaters could-" Lupin stopped short, seeing Tonks' face and hastily changed what he was saying. "Though I doubt that any of them could get through your mother, she is quite a formidable witch."

"My mother must think that I am dead," Tonks muttered soberly.

"Apparently so does everyone else," Lupin remarked.

He paused, trying to keep his anger at these Death Eaters for capturing his wife and threatening his son and his helplessness that he could not think of a way to stop them from creeping into his voice.

"I love you Dora," he told her after almost a minute of silence, "I'm going to keep you safe."

"I'm an Auror," she reminded him, "I can take care of myself."

"I know," Lupin grinned putting an arm around her shoulders, "but it makes me feel useful."


	5. Owl Post Again

**Chapter #4- Owl Post Again:**

"George," someone called. George turned around to see that his older brother Percy was following him. "Hold up," he demanded panting slightly, "I want to talk to you."

"Only if you talk fast," George answered shortly not wanting to talk to anyone, let alone Percy.

"I'll get right to the point then," he said matching George's tone, "I want to know what you're up to."

"I don't know what you're talking about," George lied.

"Come off it," Percy snapped, "I can always tell when you two-" Percy stopped short spotting his mistake based on the hurt that flitted across his brother's face. "-when someone is up to something," he finished.

George didn't bother to point out that Percy _never_ knew when something was up and waited impatiently for Percy to speak his piece and be done. George wanted nothing more then to escape his brother's company and be alone.

"Mum and Dad don't notice anything out of the ordinary because they're so wrapped up in their own grief," Percy continued, "Ron and Ginny have been hanging out with Harry and Hermione while Bill's been sticking close to Fleur. And of course Charlie hasn't been by since the funeral, I think that it's hard for him to think of this place without-"

"I still don't know what you're talking about," George interrupted not wanting Percy to finish his sentence.

"I think you do," he countered, "you're up to something."

"You've already said that Percy," George said in an emotionless voice.

"But it's true," Percy pressed on, "isn't it."

"I can't tell you anything," George burst out, "I can't let you stop me! If I tell you… you'll probably try to turn me in or something."

"I don't want to stop you," he insisted shaking his head, "all I want to do is help. I don't care whether you should be doing it or not. I want to help you deal with whatever is going on."

George looked at his older brother in shock. Never before had Percy, Percy the perfect prefect the illustrious Head Boy and the important Ministry member, ever offered to help anyone with something which they possibly shouldn't be doing. Percy loved to enforce rules, not help others break them. George barely knew how to respond to this new Percy.

As it turns out he never had a chance to figure out what to say to Percy for at that moment an owl swooped over George, dropping a small cardboard box, and a second letter at his feet before flying away.

Barely breathing George picked the box up. It felt light, though there was something inside of it. There was a piece of string around it, which George undid. Then he slowly pulled the cover off the box, and looked inside.

The thing inside the box was one of the last things he had been expecting, though in a twisted way he was not surprised. It was gruesome and terrible. George threw the box down in cold horror, breathing a curse. Percy cried out in disgust as he looked down and saw the thing for himself.

The thing in the box was a human ear.

George didn't need the note to know that it was Fred's ear, though it was the first thing this new note said. He read the message as Percy sat down on the ground trying not to throw up.

"_This is your twin brother's ear. You have twenty four hours to send us an answer. Just write yes or no. Any more attempt at stalling and a missing ear will be the least of your twin's pain_."

George did not notice that Percy had stood back up until his brother pulled the letter from George's numb hands.

"No," George moaned trying to get the letter back. But it was too late, Percy had already read it.

"This is impossible," Percy insisted looking between George and the letter, (forcing himself not to look at the ear). "Fred can't be alive. I saw…" Percy trailed off and shook his head, as if to clear it. It suddenly occurred to George that maybe he wasn't the only one haunted with the image of Fred being dead. "Someone is trying to trick you," Percy finally said in s shaky but certain tone.

"No," George argued, "there is something more going on here. They sent me a picture of Fred. I asked Dad and a couple others, and they told me several different ways to authenticate a picture. I tried every single method and they all said that the picture was real."

"But-"

"Our brother is alive," George stated fiercely, "and if you're not going to help me to save him then you'd better get the hell out of my way!" His hand was on his wand, and in that moment George would not have hesitated to curse Percy or anyone else who tried to stop him.

"I won't get in your way," Percy said softly after almost a minute of silence, "and I would like to help you."

-- 

"Fred!" Lupin cried, leaping up as Fred was thrown unceremoniously onto the floor by two Death Eaters. He landed in a heap and didn't move. Lupin, feeling a horrible sense of déjà vu as he looked closely at Fred, rushed to his side.

"Monsters," Tonks shouted at the Death Eaters, her fists clenched tightly at her side. One of them, Dolohov, laughed cruelly.

"And based on the creature that you are wed to I would assume that you are attracted to monsters," he chuckled crudely. With a fierce cry Tonks leapt at Dolohov hitting him with a sucker punch to the stomach and following that up with a solid kick to the crotch.

The other Death Eater reacted quickly, sending Tonks hurtling backwards with his wand. Lupin ran to her side, helping her up off the ground. The other Death Eater helped Dolohov out, securing the door behind him.

"Are you okay?" he asked frantically looking her over for injuries, though he didn't see any. She was, however, trembling with rage.

"I'm fine," she said in a hard voice brushing Lupin off and kneeling by Fred.

"You know you're going to have to get used to constant insults because of me," he reminded her lightly.

"I'm not in the mood for yet another lecture on the many reasons why marrying you was a bad idea," Tonks told him in a weary voice. "I heard enough of them before we got married." She rolled Fred over, and cursed when she saw the blood and where his ear had once been for the first time. "Fred!" she gasped.

"You're going to have to speak up," Fred mumbled, "I seem to be having a little trouble with my hearing."

"Fred, are you all right?" Lupin asked ripping off some of his robes and using them to stop the bleeding.

"I think that I'm all _left_," Fred tried to joke tapping his remaining ear weakly, "though I suppose that all depends on how you look at it."

"Yeah that's great," Tonks said dryly with the slightest grin on her face, "you just lay there and make stupid jokes while we have an outright panic attack. Can't you ever be serious?"

"Nope," Fred croaked, "that would make me boring. Though I do seriously want to know whether my jokes are better then George's."

"I'm not answering that," Lupin told him firmly. Lupin stood up and walked to the closed door, shouting to whoever was there. "Unless you want your hostage to bleed to death you had better send us something we can stop the bleeding with and heal the wound!"

A minute later the door opened and a bag was shoved in. Lupin picked it up and brought it over, he and Tonks both kneeling over Fred to try to help.


	6. Weasley’s Wizard Wheezes

_**Author's Note:**_

_I'm really sorry about the delay. I have just been swamped. Every second I thought I'd have a break I remembered something else to do. Anyway thank you to those who reviewed. I hope everyone likes the chapter. Please review!_

**Chapter #5- Weasley's Wizard Wheezes:**

George sat in Weasley's Wizards Wheezes, waiting for Percy to come. The store was closed and dark. Being there was a mixture of comfort and grief for George. Comfort because it had become almost home to him, but grief because of how much time he and Fred had spent there when they were beginning the business.

Though it was hard not to be cheered up by the many aids to young mischief makers on display around him. George did not even want to imagine what it would be like trying to run the store without his twin.

There was a sharp knock on the door, and George saw the shape of his older brother hovering outside the shop. His heart beating, George hoisted himself up and crossed the room quickly wrenching the door open.

"What did you find out?" he demanded without a greeting.

"I brought the ear to a friend of mine who works at St. Mungo's," Percy said pulling the box out and placing it on the counter, "they examined it and have concluded that the ear was cut off someone who was alive."

"Alive," George whispered weakly.

"You were right," he said to George, "Fred is alive and being held by Death Eaters."

Somehow, even though his twin was definitely alive, this did not come as good news to George. Yes, his brother was not dead which was good but Fred was no closer to being safe. Fred was at the mercy of desperate Death Eaters.

"We should tell mum and dad," Percy broke into George's thoughts, "now that we know-"

"We can't," George protested desperately brandishing the first letter in his brother's face, "the Death Eaters warned me not to tell anyone! We can't risk it! They've already cut off Fred's ear, they would have no problem killing because I didn't follow instructions. I should not have even told you anything! If someone worked out what we were up to-"

"Don't worry," Percy said in a calming voice, "I was careful to be very discrete. There's no way that anyone could know that you told me." George couldn't help but wish that he could tell someone else. Sure Percy was being great, but if only he could safely confide in one of the Order. But these Death Eaters were playing with him, and keeping him helpless.

"They dangle my brother, who I thought was dead, in front of me like bait," George shouted suddenly, "all the while threatening to snatch him away again. I don't just want to save Fred. I want revenge!" He pounded the table in rage and a fake wand rolled to the ground, squeaking as it hit the ground.

"You think I don't want revenge?" Percy asked in a soft incredulous voice. "I was there George, I saw what I thought was my brother's body. And now…" Percy looked over at a display case without really seeing it, "we won't let them get away with this. What we need is a plan. Come on George, you are excellent at coming up with brilliant plans."

"But I'm not," George cried in frustration, "Fred and I are good at coming up with plans. We, not I. By myself, I just can't think of anything."

"Then you're not thinking hard enough," Percy insisted. "You and Fred, you seem as if you can communicate without words half the time. You can do this! What would you do to rescue Fred if he had been apprehended by Filch?" George sighed, sat down, and rubbed his hand through his hair thinking hard.

He and Fred had been in countless situations, and it had always been incredibly simple to come up with a plan and get out of trouble. How had it been so easy when now it seemed like such an impossible task?

"Usually, all we would need to do is cause a distraction," George mumbled, "it would just be a matter of dropping a dungbomb or something. But how can we cause a distraction if we don't know where they are?"

"You were able to send an owl to him," Percy pointed out, "if you can do that, maybe we can follow the owl when it goes to deliver the message-" But George was already shaking his head, and he interrupted his brother before he could finish his thought.

"Old Mad Eye explained to us that following an owl to where it is going is practically impossible," he informed Percy, "owls are protected by ancient charms while they are delivering letters. Intercepting them when they near their destination is easy, but you can't tail them."

"I didn't know that," Percy muttered looking embarrassed as he sat down on a chair across from George. The two brothers sat in thoughtful silence, both thinking hard of how to help Fred.

Suddenly George stood up so fast his chair fell to the ground with a clatter.

"But the owl will still go to where Fred is," he gasped, "we'll still have a chance to cause a diversion!"

"How?" Percy asked.

"The same way that we would escape from Filch," George announced with a slight grin, "it's just a matter of dropping a dungbomb!" Percy stared at his younger brother as if he was crazy.

"I don't follow you."

"It's a distraction Percy! We'll send a distraction to Fred by owl. We can send Howlers," George told him beginning to pace in excitement, "the portable Swamps that Fred and I have invented, dungbombs of course and other things that will cause all sorts of confusion. We'll need owls! Lots of owls!"

"I can get owls," Percy exclaimed catching on to the idea and standing up as well, "I'll go right now."

"And I'll get to work on a colossal distraction," George said looking more excited then he had since before the Battle of Hogwarts.

"Now this is the sort of brilliant plan that I was talking about," Percy clapped his brother on the shoulder.

"It's not a brilliant plan," George corrected him, "this will be a brilliant mess!"

"And if there's anyone who can handle a brilliant mess," Percy laughed, "it'll be Fred."

--

At that moment Fred was stirring, as Tonks and Lupin sat next to him. His ear was throbbing. He reached up to touch it and found that the place where his ear had once been was wrapped in some sort of bandage.

"Fred," Lupin exclaimed seeing him move, "you're awake!"

"How do you feel?" Tonks asked.

"And if you make a joke I'll beat you up," Lupin told him, "I don't care how injured you are. I am not listening to any more jokes about this. Between you and your brother I've had enough to last me a lifetime."

"Don't tell me I had you two worried," Fred smirked.

"They cut off your ear," Tonks hissed, "worried doesn't even begin to cover it. So tell us how you are feeling."

"A little weak," Fred admitted seriously, "though it's not so bad." They didn't look convinced but Fred stood up slowly with a smile. "Honestly," he assured them, "I'm only a little sore. I think the sleeping really helped."

"But why did they cut off your ear?" Tonks asked glancing towards the door. "Did you try to escape? Did they want information?"

"Nothing like that," Fred scowled, "apparently George didn't believe I was alive and asked for more proof. So Umbridge decided…" he trailed off pointing at his ear. "I saw them put it into a box and send it off."

"My god," Lupin gasped. "So they've already made contact with George. What do you think your twin will do when he receives it?" Fred bit his lip thinking hard. He was unwilling to think of how George would respond to receiving the ear and instructions from the Death Eaters, but it made sense to try to figure it out to help form a plan of escape.

"If it were me," he admitted finally, "I would do whatever I could to help George. There's no one in the world who is more important to me then my twin. But at the same time, I wouldn't want to give them what they want if I could find a way to help it. So by asking for proof that I was alive George was probably just trying to buy time to come up with a plan."

"It was smart of him," Tonks nodded. "What do you suppose they'll ask him to do?"

"Probably something to do with Harry," Lupin said sounding thoroughly depressed, "it's not exactly a secret to the Death Eaters that the Weasley's and Harry are close. Or they might ask George to give them a list of everyone in the Order. But in the end it doesn't really matter what they ask, as long as they have you, they have leverage over George."

"We have to escape," Fred cried, "I can't just sit here and let them use George!"

"It's dangerous," Lupin sighed, "but we don't really have a choice."

"Don't worry Remus," Tonks said with a smile grabbing Lupin's hand, "we're smarter then they are. In fact, we're better then they are in every possible way. After all, they are Death Eaters. They won't stand a chance."

"What we really need," Fred said thoughtfully, "is some sort of diversion."


	7. A Peck Of Owls

_**Author's Note:**_

_Happy April Fools Day, which apparently is Fred and George's birthday. So I honor of that I thought I would post the next chapter. This story is fairly close to being done. There might be three chapters left, I forget._

_Oh, in case there was confusion I did change the name. I'm not so crazy about the new one either so if anyone has anything better please let me know. Hope you enjoy the chapter!_

**Chapter #6- A Peck Of Owls:**

Dolores Umbridge was looking out the window, anxious to receive a reply from the Weasley boy. She couldn't imagine him saying no to them or trying anything foolish. As the leader, she already had written a letter to send out with instructions if the boy agreed to help.

If he didn't agree… well the only thing that needed to be done then was to decide who should kill the prisoner and what they should do with the body. Umbridge had been leaning towards sending it to the Ministry, maybe addressed to the boy's father, Arthur Weasley. That would teach them, and all other Blood Traitors, a lesson.

After that they would have to decide who they could blackmail using the werewolf and the woman as a hostage. Both were prominent members of the Order of Phoenix, so there were several good possibilities both ways.

Suddenly an approaching owl appearing on the horizon caught Umbridge's eye. She grinned with triumph as it came closer and closer. If George Weasley was not going to agree to their demands she was sure that he would not have bothered to send an owl to tell them.

But a second later she saw two more owls following the first. Then another, and another. Soon she could barely count how many there were filling the cloudless sky. They dotted the sky and she glared at them in confusion.

"What in the name of hell is the boy playing at?" She muttered to herself.

"What is going on?" Goyle asked looking blankly at the owls. "Why are there so many?"

"I don't know, you great lump," Umbridge snapped, not taking her eyes off the owls who were getting closer and closer, some had already landed; "Just bring the Weasley boy up here." Goyle lumbered off to do as he was told as the leader and the rest of the Death Eaters began approaching the owls.

"They're all addressed to Fred Weasley," Dolohov grunted pulling a red envelope off an owl's leg and looking at the front of it. He went to open the envelope, but before he could, the letter exploded in a burst of fire.

"THINK YOU CAN MESS WITH THE WEASLEY FAMILY DO YOU?" the Howler boomed.

"RUN FRED! RUN FRED! RUN FRED! RUN FRED!" Another Howler had exploded and began to shout causing a horrible clash.

"VOLDEMORT SUCKS!!" A third Howler proclaimed as joyfully as it was loud. Then there was about a dozen Howlers all thundering at the same time and they began to drown each other out and echo horribly. This caused many of the Death Eaters to cover their ears in pain.

And Howlers weren't the only things going off. Packets of Peruvian Instant Darkness Powder had enveloped areas of the room with a whoosh. There was also some sort of powder that was making all of the Death Eaters sneeze uncontrollably. There were even several portable swamps expanding and filling the room.

It was a brilliant mess indeed.

--

Goyle had just opened the door, his wand at the ready, when the commotion reached them.

Down in their cell Tonks, Lupin, and Fred heard the Howlers and the screams of the Death Eaters as easily as if they had been standing in the same room. Distracted by the sudden noise Goyle turned towards it in confusion. Without pausing to question this strange turn of events Fred, Tonks, and Lupin leapt on Goyle.

He managed to fire off one curse, but it missed all of them. Tonks grabbed his wand and stunned him with it.

"Is that George's voice?" she asked Fred incredulously motioning towards the sound of a dozen Howlers coming from above them.

"Yep," Fred grinned proudly, "that's my twin."

"We'd better hurry," Lupin told them, "before they realize that we've gotten out."

Tonks led the way, holding the stolen wand out in case they ran into anymore Death Eaters. They didn't see another person until they passed a room. It was obvious that this had been where all of the owls had dropped their letters and packages.

The chaos was something to see. Several Death Eaters were half submerged in the swamp which had sprung up suddenly. Umbridge appeared to have received a face full of sneezing powder as she was on all fours sneezing so frequently it was a wonder she could breathe. In one corner of the room there was a patch of impenetrable darkness they recognized as Peruvian Instant Darkness Powder.

There was even a sole firework, writing out crude insults to the Death Eaters. The only Howler left was shouting something about "SHIT FOR BRAINS!" which they assumed was also directed at the Death Eaters.

But they didn't stay to admire George's handiwork for long, as finally some of the Death Eaters appeared to be recovering from the shock. Fred, Tonks, and Lupin reached the door and ran outside.

"Quick!" Tonks cried back to Lupin and Fred as she choose a Muggle car at random and waving the stolen wand at it unlocked it. Tonks jumped into the passenger seat. "I hope one of you knows how to drive," she commented as she saw a Death Eater staggering out of the house.

"I do," Fred assured them as he opened the driver's door and slid in. Tonks tapped the dash to start the car while Lupin threw himself into the back seat of the car. "George and I used to drive around all the time in Dad's car."

"Wasn't that car enchanted?" Lupin asked.

"Yeah," Fred answered in an offhand voice, "but I'm pretty sure that the controls were mostly the same." Tonks looked at Lupin, the two of them exchanging silent glances of apprehension. More Death Eaters had come out of the house, and now one or two of them had begun to come towards them. Fred, his mouth pursed in concentration, yanked on a lever and then stomped on the gas.

The car sprang backwards, as if it had been pushed. It slammed into the car parked behind it, and a wailing alarm filled their ears.

"Opps," Fred muttered pulling on the lever again impatiently. He stomped on the gas once more and this time the car hurtled forward, leaving the Death Eaters behind. "Thanks for the hospitality," Fred shouted back at them, waving out the window.

"Just keep driving," Lupin advised hurriedly as the car nearly drove off the road while Fred was looking back at the Death Eaters.


	8. Fight And Flight

**Chapter #7- Fight And Flight:**

Fred turned out to be not as bad of a driver as Tonks and Lupin had thought he would be. Sure once or twice he slid into the wrong lane, he wasn't all that good at following the traffic signs, and once he came very near to running over a Muggle bicycling but other then that the drive was mostly uneventful.

"Are you sure that you know how to get to the Burrow?" Lupin asked Fred as he braked suddenly to read a sign, causing the person behind them to stop with a screech and honk their horn impatiently.

"Of course," Fred said as he began to drive again, "I told you, this road goes on past the town of Ottery St. Catchpole, and from there it won't be long before we reach the Burrow. It was a lot easier to navigate when the car was flying, that way you wouldn't have to always travel on these roads. You know we could use the wand to-"

"Absolutely not," Tonks interrupted him, "trusting you to drive regularly is quite enough, I'm not going to go flying with you in this contraption." Fred looked a little insulted, but not too much.

"Well if I'm right then we should be there in a little less then an hour," he was saying when all of the sudden there was a crack and the car jerked as if it had hit something.

"Fred pay attention!" Tonks cried.

"I didn't hit anything," he protested.

"They've found us!" Lupin shouted as he looked back.

The other two looked back as well to see four Death Eaters, all riding on broom sticks, coming up behind them. The Death Eaters were aiming curses at the car, and a second one forced it off the road and into a field.

Tonks leaned out the window and shot a curse of her own, which hit its mark easily. The Death Eater that had been closest to them shrieked as he fell off of his broomstick and to the ground.

"Left!" Lupin shouted as he watched the Death Eaters. Fred turned left sharply without question and the place where they had just been caught fire with bang. Another spell from Tonks and the Death Eater that had caused the fire also found himself falling to the ground.

But just as she defeated the one Death Eater, another had accelerated and sent a spell at them. It hit the car and with a rasping noise the controls refused to budge. Fred tried futilely to get the wheel to turn but it was no good. They couldn't steer where the car was going or stop it.

"So what now?" Tonks asked as the car hurtled out of control at a picket fence.

"Well," Fred answered with a nervous grin, "now we crash. Everyone hold on tight."

--

"What do you think is happening?" Percy asked George as they sat together on the couch. George shrugged wordlessly, he didn't really want to discuss what was happening to his twin.

They were speaking quietly as the rest of their family plus Harry Potter and Hermione Granger, were scattered around the room as well. If the rest of the family found it odd that George and Percy had been whispering together more then usual they said nothing.

Though really it was just Percy speaking at the moment, George had been brooding about the plan and whether or not it had been worth the risk to go through with it.

If their plan had worked Fred might now be escaping. Maybe he would be able to send them a message. If it hadn't, then George's plan had probably done his twin no favors. It had _seemed_ like a good plan at the time, but what would happen if it didn't work? Why hadn't he thought of the consequences should the plan fail?

"I'm sure that it worked," Percy said breaking into George's thoughts, "and even if it didn't I think they were probably bluffing about killing Fred."

"Yeah," George snorted looking away from his brother, "because Death Eaters are really very nice and forgiving people. They've got some of the biggest hearts I know."

"But they need Fred," Percy insisted, "they're not idiots." George looked at Percy and raised an eyebrow incredulously. Percy fell silent, obviously thinking about it. "Okay, maybe they are. But I still think that they won't kill him."

"If they do," George muttered, "it'll be my fault."

--

Lupin opened his eyes groggily, and realized that he must have lost consciousness in the car crash, though he couldn't have been out for more then a minute. Everything was quiet now, with the twisted remains of the car still smoking all around him. Lupin could see Fred in the seat in front of him, bloody but moving feebly.

He looked to see how Tonks was, but with a jolt he noticed that she was no longer in the passenger seat. He turned to see that the two Death Eaters had dragged her from the car. One was bent over her, feeling her neck.

"Still alive," the one Death Eater told the other, "just knocked out."

"Get the boy then," the second Death Eater ordered. "We'll bring the woman and the kid back, but we can kill the werewolf so that the others stay in line."

Trying not to alert them to the fact that he had woken up, Lupin looked desperately for something to defend himself with. He didn't see the wand that Tonks had been carrying, though there was a rather jagged piece from the car window laying inches away from his hand. Seeing nothing else, he picked it up.

The Death Eater had reached Fred and bent over to undo the seatbelt. Lupin took his chance and slashed suddenly at the Death Eater. There was a cry and he fell back clutching his arm and writhing in pain, the piece of glass sticking out of his arm.

Lupin didn't wait but, grabbing Fred, threw himself out of the car through the front door. A crack right above where his head had been told him how close the remaining Death Eater's spell had come to hitting him.

The Death Eater that Lupin had just attacked with a bit of wreckage was a little ways off, rocking in pain. Lupin felt a surge of hope as he noticed the Death Eater's wand laying abandoned on the ground. Unfortunately it was well away from the protection of the car which rocked as another spell hit it. Lupin knew that he couldn't stay there forever.

With a burst of speed Lupin threw himself at the wand. His fingers were mere inches away when the last Death Eater saw what he was doing.

"_Accio wand_," the Death Eater bellowed.

Lupin made a last grab for the wand but it sailed easily to the Death Eater who caught it. The Death Eater grinned down at Lupin, who was still laying on the ground. Lupin saw that his eyes were indescribably hostile.

"_Avada_-" he began.

"_Stupefy_!" another voice shouted fiercely cutting the Death Eater off and not allowing him to finish his spell. The Death Eater, hit in the back of the head with the stunning spell, crumpled to the ground and did not move.

Standing behind the Death Eater, her wand still raised was Tonks. She was filthy, and had a large gash on the side of her face but she stood steadily.

"Dora are you all right?" Lupin asked sitting up and pushing himself off of the ground.

"Fine," she told him. "You?"

"I'm not dead," he pointed out, "thanks to you." Lupin hugged his wife, careful to be gentle in case Tonks had been hurt. "How did you-?"

"The idiots didn't even bother looking to see if I had a wand on me," she explained with a grin. "I woke up to see that last one sending spells at you. When he went to… you know, I just acted automatically. Is Fred all right?"

"I thought I saw him moving," Lupin frowned as he went over to Fred's side, "but he might be unconscious now."

"Come on," Tonks murmured leaning over Fred and patting his cheeks, "time to wake up."

"Don't want to," Fred muttered.

"Fred," Lupin ordered, "get up now. We have to keep moving." Fred blinked and opened his eyes. For a second he looked confused, but then he seemed to remember what had happened and groaned.

"Feeling okay?" Tonks asked.

"Just peachy," he replied sarcastically as Tonks and Lupin each grabbed an arm and helped him to stand up.


	9. Back To The Burrow

**Chapter #8- Back To The Burrow:**

The Weasley family, Harry, and Hermione were still gathered in the living room. Even though most of them were talking, they had been doing so very quietly, as if to raise your voice would break some unwritten rule.

"You know," Mrs. Weasley spoke up into the quiet of the room, "I have been thinking that it might be nice if we all just took a trip. Just, pick up and go for a week. We haven't had a family vacation in years, and it might do us all some good to get out and do something. We can leave tomorrow."

"I think that it sounds like a wonderful idea Molly," Mr. Weasley hurried to agree with his wife, "I'm sure that they'll give me a couple of days off after… after everything that has happened."

"I don't want to go anywhere," George exclaimed standing up quickly. Everyone, except for Percy, gave him confused looks.

"But George," Mrs. Weasley faltered, "wouldn't you like to get away for a little bit?"

"No," he told her shortly.

"I'm only trying to help," Mrs. Weasley told him, sounding close to tears.

"I think it's just that tomorrow is a bit sudden," Percy said quickly before George could say anything else, "but in a couple of days I'm sure that George would want to go." George unwillingly gave a curt nod. This was enough to satisfy his mother, who excused herself to go and water the plants. The rest of the family didn't look all together convinced.

"Why don't you want to go anywhere George?" Ron asked.

"I have business things going on," he said using the same lie he had told Percy several days ago. But while it had worked on Percy it did not work on the rest of the family.

"I thought that you hadn't reopened the business yet," Ginny said slowly. George fidgeted under the gaze of all of his family, desperately trying to come up with something that would satisfy them. But all of his worrying for Fred and his anxiousness had slowed his mind considerably.

But before he could say anything they heard a clang as Mrs. Weasley dropped the watering can, then gave a strangled cry of disbelief.

Everyone rushed out of the house to see what Mrs. Weasley was yelling about. When they reached her they all stopped short at the unimaginable sight that greeted them.

Standing at the end of the garden path were Lupin, Tonks, and Fred. Fred was in the middle, and looking considerably worse for wear as he was supported by the others. At the sight of his family all gaping at him he gave a short wave.

Mrs. Weasley promptly fainted, caught by Percy. Ron seemed frozen on the spot while Hermione's mouth was moving rapidly but no sound was coming out. Ginny had swayed against Harry who had uncertainly pulled out his wand. Mr. Weasley had also pulled out his wand, and pointed it firmly at Fred, Tonks, and Lupin.

"This is Dark Magic," he growled as much to himself as to everyone else, "this can not be real." But at that second George gave out a strangled cry.

"No!" he shouted pulling his dad's wand out of the way. "It's Fred!" Then, before his father could stop him, he sprinted across the garden, closing the distance. He flung his arms around his twin and they cried and laughed at the same time.

"It is I," Tonks called out to the Weasley's, Harry, and Hermione, "Nymphadora Tonks. I am an Metamorphmagus though my hair is usually pink. When I confessed to Molly that I was in love with Remus she offered to try to help me by inviting him and me over for dinner whenever she could."

"And I am Remus Lupin," Lupin spoke up, "the last remaining member of the Marauders. Soon after my wife told me that she was expecting a child I tried to run off. When I attempted to join Harry on his mission he yelled at me and forced me to go back to Tonks and that is why I wanted him to be Teddy's godfather."

"Oh my goodness," Hermione squeaked, "it really is them."

Less then a minute later the whole group had gathered in the living room. Lupin was sitting on an armchair, with Tonks sitting on the arm of the chair leaning against him. Fred had been laid on a couch and Mrs. Weasley, (who had been revived), was tending to his injuries with George hovering nearby refusing to move away from his twin.

He had clearly suffered the worst from the car accident, with many deep cuts and already forming bruises. On top of all of that the place where his ear had once been was bleeding again.

"I told them my name was Gred," he informed them in a weak voice.

"Now I know that it's him," Mr. Weasley sighed looking stunned and relieved at the same time.

"Well he also said that it was Forge," Lupin pointed out.

"Not the brightest kidnappers," Tonks told them, "they honestly didn't know which one of you they had. And of course Fred refused to tell them."

"They didn't seem to like me very much," Fred added gingerly touching the place where his ear had once been.

"Oh Fred," Mrs. Weasley moaned pulling his hand away and examining the injury. "You too."

"On a positive note," Fred said to her, "George and I are identical again."

"Okay," George grinned at his twin, "so it's your turn now. Let's hear some of those brilliant ear jokes. I'm sure that by now you've picked out some choice ones to hit us with."

"I've spent too much time being captured and escaping," Fred answered, "it really takes more out of you then you would think." He winced as Mrs. Weasley applied a potion to a deep cut on his shoulder. "By the way," he said turning to her, "they showed me a picture of my tombstone. '_Beloved Son, Beloved Brother'_? Really? I really would have preferred a joke for future reference."

"I tried to tell her," George told his twin shaking his head, "but you know our Mum, she wouldn't listen." At this Mrs. Weasley broke down in sobs, pulling her twin sons into an extremely tight embrace that caused them both to grumble muffled protests. "Come off it Mum," George said.

"Yeah," Fred chimed in, "I'm okay. Injured, but I'm alive." But a second later the twins were engulfed by more hugging as all of the Weasley's piled on top of them in a massive group hug. Harry and Hermione joined a second later. Then Tonks stood up, pulling Lupin with her and they also joined the group hug. After a minute everyone broke apart.

"But how are you alive?" Harry asked. This caused everyone else to look over at Lupin, Tonks, and Fred suddenly very curious as to how they had survived. "We saw all of you dead."

"You saw things transfigured to look like our dead bodies," Lupin explained. The three of them took turns, explaining Voldemort's plan to keep the Weasley family from continuing the fight against him, about how Umbridge was now a Death Eater and leading rouge Death Eaters, and finally how Bellatrix Lestrange had decided to use a similar plan to punish Lupin and Tonks.

"We're just lucky that she didn't survive the fight," Tonks commented, "after what she went through to get me and Lupin I doubt that she would have been content to simply hold us captive or use us as hostages. Bellatrix would have killed us, and I doubt that it would have been quick."

"It was Mum who killed Bellatrix," Ginny said in a proud voice, "she was brilliant."

"I was just doing my part," Mrs. Weasley blushed at the praise.

"So how did you escape?" Ron asked.

"It was all thanks to George," Fred said patting his twin on the shoulder.

"George?" Mr. Weasley looked at his son confused. "But George was here. How would he have-?"

"The Death Eaters contacted me," George admitted to his family, "they told me that they had Fred and sent me a picture. I really wanted to tell you all, but they told me not to tell anyone. But then when they sent me the ear…"

"I saw it," Percy finished, "and the letter saying that it was Fred."

"And you didn't go running straight to the authorities?" Fred asked looking between Percy and George startled.

"Percy agreed to help me," George told his twin. The two of them looked thoughtfully at Percy.

"Thanks," Fred nodded after a minute.

"And thank you to both of you from us," Tonks spoke up looking at George and Percy.

"What do you think the Death Eaters will do now?" Ginny asked. A second after she'd said it Tonks and Lupin had sprung to their feet with identical looks of horror on their faces.

"Teddy," Lupin shouted hoarsely, "they're going to go after him."

"We have to get to him," Tonks gasped already heading for the door.

"We'll come too," Harry told them as he Hermione and Ron were already on their feet. And they weren't the only ones, everyone else in the room were ready to follow Lupin and Tonks.

"Ginny," Mrs. Weasley said sharply, "stay here with Fred." Ginny and Fred had no time to protest as the rest of the group had already left, going to stop the Death Eaters for good.


	10. The Midnight Duel

**Chapter #9- The Midnight Duel:**

They Apparated at the edge of the Tonks' family's house. It was obvious that they had gotten there just in time. The house was surrounded and Andromeda was clearly overwhelmed, though she had taken out at least two of the Death Eaters.

Instantly the whole group were sending curses at the surprised Death Eaters.

"_Protego_!" Tonks shouted. Her shield charm covered her mother just in time to stop a curse sent by Umbridge. The short toad like woman turned, and screamed in anger when she saw Lupin and Tonks charging at her.

"What is going on?!" Andromeda Tonks was staring at the couple who she had so recently buried with complete shock.

"It's me," Tonks shouted to her mother, "your daughter Nymphadora. When I was thirteen you grounded me for a week for breaking your wedding china! Your favorite cousin was Sirius Black! Please, I know it's hard but you have to believe it's me!"

"You …" she nodded, "yes you are my daughter."

"Where is Teddy?" Lupin demanded. "Is he safe?"

"He is inside," Mrs. Tonks replied.

"Keep him safe," Tonks told her mother, "we'll take care of the Death Eaters." Still looking shell shocked Andromeda went into the house. Tonks and Lupin threw themselves back into the fight.

Ron and Hermione were nearby, both taking on a Death Eater. Harry was fighting his own Death Eater, whose mask had fallen off revealing Goyle's snarling face. Tonks was fighting Dolohov, taking out her frustration of the last few days on him. Mr. and Mrs. Weasley were fighting back to back.

Lupin had just defeated another Death Eater, and almost didn't see the spell hurtling at him. He threw himself out of the way just in time. He scrambled back to his feet to see Umbridge, her face twisted in fury.

"You beast!" she cried. "You filthy half-breed!"

"I will never let you threaten my family again," Lupin growled.

They both pointed their wands at each other, but Lupin was faster. A second later Umbridge was flying limply through the air. Lupin watched with grim satisfaction before running back into the fight.

George was fighting when he saw a spell knock Percy off his feet. George rushed forward to defend him as Percy slowly stood up looking dazed. But the Death Eater had seen George, and forgot all about Percy.

"_Crucio_!" the Death Eater shouted. The spell hit George who crumpled, writhing in pain. "I'll teach you to escape from us," he roared.

"Wrong twin," George grunted as the spell subsided. The Death Eater pulled his wand back, ready to hit George with the curse again. Suddenly he froze and fell to the ground rigid, hit from behind by the Full Body Bind Curse.

"I think you're looking for me," Fred informed the Death Eater cheerfully.

"Took you long enough," George grumbled as Fred reached down and helped him up off the ground. Once on his feet, George delivered a good solid kick to the face of the frozen Death Eater.

"Ginny wanted me to stay behind," Fred explained. The brothers looked over where Ginny was hitting Yaxley with her famous Bat-Bogey Hex. "I would have told her she sounded like Mum but, well… she scares me." George nodded in understanding.

"Hey," Tonks shouted at them, "focus on the fight. Lupin and I didn't drag you all of those miles to The Burrow for you to get done in by a Death Eater here."

With so many angry people fighting them the Death Eaters were soon defeated. Percy and Ron tied them all up, (as tightly as they could to cause the maximum level of discomfort), while Mrs. Weasley had gone to contact the Ministry so they could come and arrest the Death Eaters.

Teddy gurgled happily as he was held in a tight embrace by both of his parents.

A little ways away from the reunited family Harry and Mr. Weasley were still trying to explain the whole story to a still very confused Andromeda Tonks. She kept looking over at her daughter with disbelief. Fred and George walked over, their arms slung around each others shoulders.

"Don't worry," George advised her sympathetically, "the shock will wear off before you know it."

"I thought that you were dead," Andromeda Tonks commented in a faint voice peering at George.

"Actually you were thinking of me," Fred told her with a grin, "but of course I wasn't actually dead."

"Sometimes I think that we should just tattoo their names on their foreheads," Mrs. Weasley muttered under her breath as she came over to join the conversation.

"Where would the fun be in that?" George asked.

"Did you reach them?" Harry asked Mrs. Weasley.

"Yes," she answered, "and of course they are quite flabbergasted. We'll have more explaining to do once they get here I think. Kingsley is coming himself. The new Minister of Magic you know," she added for Fred, Lupin, and Tonks' sakes.

"Oh good," Mr. Weasley grinned, "I need to talk to Kingsley. I think I'll ask him for that time off when he gets here. I think that after all this we need a vacation more then ever."


	11. Career Advice

**Author's Note:**

Well here's the next chapter. There's an epilogue coming but I don't know when I'll be able to post. I leave today for a vacation in Germany so I don't know about the internet situation. With my luck there won't be any though I'm bringing my laptop just in case. Then at least I might get a chance to write. So my apologies that I haven't finished this story as quickly as I wanted.

Oh, one more quick note. As you might have noticed each chapter is named for a chapter from Harry Potter and Career Advice is my favorite chapter from my favorite book just in case you were wondering, (even though you most definitely weren't).

**Chapter #10- Career Advice:**

"This is the life," Fred proclaimed as he lay down on the sand and closed his eyes.

"You said it," George agreed as he lowered a pair of sunglasses over his eyes.

"I hope you put on sun blocking potion," the twins heard their mother calling, "you don't want to burn!" They rolled their eyes at each other and ignored her. They were all on a beach, enjoying the sun and the surf.

In the nearby ocean Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Ginny were splashing and laughing, just glad that they could act like carefree children again. Bill and Fleur walked down the beach hand in hand. Percy was talking with Charlie, and based on the not so interested look on Charlie's face Percy was probably talking about work. Mr. and Mrs. Weasley were sitting under an umbrella, not talking but simply enjoying the scene.

Lupin and Tonks were sitting together with Teddy. Teddy was happily digging in the sand with a little shovel. Lupin leaned down next to his son while Tonks took a picture.

"I'm glad that things are back to normal," Ron commented as he looked at his family. Harry and Hermione just nodded in an understanding manner. Without Fred the Weasley family just hadn't been the same.

"Look!" Ginny cried pointing into the sky. One by one everyone in the group turned to watch as a single owl flew through the sky towards them. It swooped down to land in front of Tonks, Lupin, and Teddy. The baby clapped and pointed at the bird while his mother reached forward and removed the letter from the owl's leg.

"It's addressed to you Remus," she said handing the letter over to her husband.

"Well," Fred said impatiently as everyone gathered around Lupin, "what does it say?" Lupin cleared his throat and read the letter aloud.

_Dear Remus Lupin,_

_I cannot express how joyful I felt when I heard the news that you and your wife were still alive. Your apparent deaths were quite a blow to all of us in the Order of the Phoenix and that you have been safely returned to us is a triumph for all of us._

_Perhaps, given your recent ordeal, you are planning on staying home with your family for a while. I hope, however, that you will give serious thought to my offer. It is with much pleasure that I invite you to return to Hogwarts to once again be the Defense Against The Dark Arts teacher. Professor Dumbledore often spoke to me of his wish that you would one day return to teach. Please let me know of your decision as soon as possible._

_ Professor M. McGonagall, Headmistress of Hogwarts_

_p.s.- The job is no longer cursed if that should influence you choice._

Lupin stared at the letter in shock. He reread the letter quickly to himself, convincing himself that he had not just imagined it.

"All right," Harry said happily breaking into his thoughts, "that's great news!" He clapped Lupin on the back.

"You could teach me for my Seventh Year," Ginny broke in excitedly. "I know that with you as a teacher the NEWTs won't be a problem!"

"I wish that we were going back," Hermione sighed as she thought of the educational opportunities they would miss out on. Nobody lamented the loss of their last year of education as much as Hermione.

"Now, now," Mrs. Weasley chuckled, "he hasn't said yes yet."

"But you have to," Fred broke in eagerly, "you were the best Defense Against The Dark Arts teacher that we ever had at Hogwarts!"

"Yeah," George chimed in, "your class was one of the few classes that wasn't a waste of time." Both Mrs. Weasley and Hermione sent him dark looks with that comment but refrained themselves from speaking.

"It's tempting…" Lupin said slowly once more looking at the letter. "Dora, what do you think?"

"I know how you loved teaching," Tonks said after a slight pause, "and I think that you should do it- if you want to that is." She leaned down and picked Teddy up off of the sand. "Teddy and I wouldn't mind going with you. If I want to go back to work full time in the future I can, Kingsley already told me. But for now I'd like to just take some time to enjoy my family."

"Well then," Lupin was grinning as he took Teddy from Tonks. He held Teddy with one arm and threw his other arm around his wife. "I suppose the Lupin Family is going to Hogwarts!"


	12. The Wedding

**Epilogue- The Wedding:**

_23 Years Later_

"Teddy," Lupin knocked on a closed door as he called inside, "can I come in?"

"Yes," Lupin's oldest son answered in a tight and nervous voice. Lupin pushed the door open. Teddy was wearing his new dress robes, looking at his reflection in the mirror. Every couple of seconds he was switching hair colors, trying to settle on the perfect shade.

"Just relax," Lupin advised his son, "in an hour it'll all be over. I know you're far from being the only person to have pre-wedding jitters. Remember, I was there when Ron got married. You'd have to try pretty hard to be worse then him."

"Were you nervous before you and mom got married?" Teddy asked turning to look at his father.

"Actually," Lupin grinned fondly at the memory, "your mother refused to give me any time to be nervous. She talked me into marriage and an hour later we were being married. I didn't have time to change into decent clothes let alone work up any nervousness."

"Trust me," Tonks spoke as she entered the room, "he might not have been nervous when we got married but you aren't close to being as panicky as your father was when you were born. And in the whole nine months preceding that, if I remember."

Lupin hugged his wife and kissed her softly. Teddy looked back at the mirror and resumed trying to pick a hair color. Tonks turned and watched her son, amused.

"Just take a deep breath," she said in an understanding voice, "and try to feel relaxed. Just go with whatever comes natural and feels right. And if it's pink," she motioned to her own hair, "that's all right. And if it looks like your father's, that's okay too, though I doubt Victoire will like it." Teddy and Tonks both looked at Lupin's hair, which had finally succumbed after years of fighting and turned pure grey.

"Just admit it," he teased his wife, "you wish you'd married someone younger now."

"No," Tonks said firmly, "it makes you look sophisticated."

Loud laughter from outside of a window distracted the three. They looked out to see Fred and George Weasley entertaining a teenage girl with what was obviously a thrilling story of heroism, bravery, and loads of jokes. The twins paused and the girl began to speak. She clapped her hands together as she spoke, pleading with them.

The girl was Elizabeth Dora Lupin. Her first name was in honor of Lupin's mother. Lupin had wanted to have her middle name be Nymphadora, but Tonks had refused point blank. After several arguments they had compromised on Dora.

"What could she be asking them?" Lupin asked looking suspicious.

"Beth has decided that she wants to learn to drive muggle cars," Teddy explained looking back at the mirror and trying to take his mother's advice. "Perhaps she thinks that since he is her godfather Fred will be willing to teach her."

"He wouldn't dare," Tonks said glaring out the window at the twins. Lupin chuckled, thinking that Fred would probably find the idea spectacular. And of course he doubted that George would miss out on the fun.

"Speaking of children who are out to drive their parents crazy," Lupin smiled to Teddy, "do you have any idea where your brother is?" Suddenly there was a loud bang from somewhere below them, indicating quite clearly where the youngest Lupin child was.

"Sirius Tonks Lupin!" Tonks screeched as she flew out the door towards the noise. "You had better not be causing trouble!"

"Sometimes," Teddy grinned at his father, "I just don't now how you Hogwarts teachers can deal with having both Sirius and James in the same year." Lupin couldn't help but smile when he thought of the high-jinks of his son Sirius and Harry's oldest son James. The two were in the same year, the same house, and of course they were inseparable.

Lupin often thought that Padfoot and Prongs would be proud of their namesakes and the havoc they tended to cause, (privately Lupin felt a glimmer of pride but he would never have admitted it aloud).

"How do I look?" Teddy asked bringing his father back to the present. Lupin looked over to see that Teddy was now sporting sandy brown hair. Lupin crossed the room and hugged his son.

"You look very grown up," he told Teddy. "I am very proud of the person who you have become."

"We both are," Tonks added as she reentered the room beaming. She also hugged her son, and gave him a kiss on the cheek. "Now come on," she said as she pushed Teddy towards the door, "they're ready for you. This wedding can't go on without the groom."

Teddy squared his shoulders and walked steadily out of the room. Tonks and Lupin followed hand in hand, beaming like the proud parents they were.

_**Final Author's Note:**_

_Well this story is officially finished. I hope that people have enjoyed reading it. I really loved writing it, it was awesome. It was so much fun to write these characters._

_A big giant thank you to my very good friend Girl Scout. She edited this story for me and did an incredible job. I'd also like to thank everyone who reviewed, I really appreciated the feed back._

_Finally, in case anyone finds this interesting this story was originally supposed to have flashbacks to moments in Tonks and Lupin's relationship in between chapters. Since I've already written some of them I am thinking of posting them. It might take a while but if anyone thinks they would be interesting let me know._

_Thanks again for reading!_


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